What is the grain base for Bourbon?

What is the grain base for Bourbon?

• A. 100% Corn
• B. 60% Corn
• C. 75-85% Corn
• D. 51-79% Corn

Answer: (D)

The grain base refers to how much corn is in the mash bill. For bourbon, corn must make up at least 51% of that mash, with the remainder coming from other grains like rye, wheat, or barley to shape flavor and texture. Because the defining idea is a minimum corn content with room for other grains, the range that starts at 51% and sits within a plausible upper bound best captures how bourbons are typically composed. That’s why the 51–79% corn range is the correct choice here: it reflects the required minimum plus common variation in the other grains that complete the mash.

The grain base refers to how much corn is in the mash bill. For bourbon, corn must make up at least 51% of that mash, with the remainder coming from other grains like rye, wheat, or barley to shape flavor and texture. Because the defining idea is a minimum corn content with room for other grains, the range that starts at 51% and sits within a plausible upper bound best captures how bourbons are typically composed. That’s why the 51–79% corn range is the correct choice here: it reflects the required minimum plus common variation in the other grains that complete the mash.